Magnetron tube



Nov. 11, 1952 H. GUTTON ETA'L 2,517,968

MAGNETRON TUBE Fiied July 8. i947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 3 1 /4 A2 2rz A As -4 A A4 ,5

12 3 2 3 2 1 3 21 .1 A 1 Cl 5 D Q I D (Q HENRI SUTTON AND JEAN LEGROS Patented Nov. 11, 1952 MAGNETRON, TUBE V Henri Gutton and Jean Legros, Paris, France, as-

signors to Compagnie Generale de Telegraphic Sans Fil, a corporation of France Application July 8, 1947, Serial No. 759,664 In France September 28, 1946 .ZClaims. (01.315 40) {The magnetrons usually utilized have the form of surfaces oi-revolution about the axis of the cathode. It is easyto show that thisarrangement has serious disadvantagesin practice. In point of fact, if the operation of these appliances is examined, it will be found that the maintenance of oscillations of very high frequency with an acceptable output or efficiency is not possible unless the magnetic field acting upon the electronic trajectories is sufficiently high.

By way of example,with a familiar type of ap. paratus, a wave length of 20 centimetres is obtained with a high output or efficiency for a magnetic field of the order of-500 oersteds. There would similarly be obtained? centimetres for a field of 1000 oersteds 10 centimetres fora field of'1800 'oersteds 5 centimetres for a field of 3000 oersteds 1 centimetre fora field of 10,000 oersteds.

These figures are experimental, and merely give an order of magnitude. a

- .In order to obtain high magnetic fields. the air gap of the'magnet or electromagnetmay be reduced, which'limits the length of the anode and of the cathode.

' On -the other hand the operating anode voltage is'bound up with the magnetic field by a relation of the form: V=kH the coefiicient k being a function of the interval a between the surface-0f the cathode and the anode. This latter function is to a first approximation of the form: 70mm, on being a constant.

To sum up, V is approximately equal to a(aH) It results from this formula that V increases rapidly when aHincreases; Now it is necessary to preventV attaining values which would not be acceptable in practice. One is therefore led, with thexhighivalues of H that are necessary for the maintenance of very high frequencies, to reduce greatly the distance a between the electrodes; If thei magnetron has the symmetrical form of a surfac'eiofrevolution, the surface of the anode tends therefore to diminish, the dissipation of heat becomes more diflicult, and one is obliged to. reduce. the useful power furnished. I --';;The present invention, whichis based on the Guttonz and Legros system, relates to a type of magnetron which enables large powers to be obtained :whileto a-sufiicient extent reducing the distance between anode and cathodes This result'iis obtained by giving the'surface of the anodeaIspecial form, which comprises two parallel planes united at both ends bya cylindrical sur- 2 I face, the cathode itself extending over a substantial area. Theinvention will be better understood by the aid of the following description, which, in con junction with the accompanying drawings, furnishes an example of construction, the features set forth in the text and in the drawings constituting of course part of the invention, though the latter is not restricted to the embodiments illustrated. 'In the drawings,

Figure l is a cross sectional view taken through the anode and cathode unit employed in the tube of our invention;

Fig. 2 shows a modified form of cathode and anode unit showing the principles of our invention:

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through a magnetron employing the principles of. our invention; i i

Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b are-views showing the application of the principles of our invention to a modified form of magnetron;

-Fig. 5a and Fig. 5b are diagrammatic views showing the manner of interconnecting the an odesegments within a magnetron in accordance with the principles of our invention;

Fig. 6 shows a further modified form of cathode and anode construction in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 7 shows afurther modified arrangement of cathode and anode construction employingsecondary emission;

Fig. 8 illustrates another modified form of cathode and anode construction according to our invention and employing secondary emission;

Fig. 9 is a detailed view showing the relation of the anode and cathode'in a complete magnetron assembly embodying our invention;

Fig. 10 is atransverse sectional view taken substantially on line l0-I0 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a view illustrating a complete assembly of amagnetron embodying the cathode and anode arrangement of Fig. 4a and Fig. 4b.

Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through the'unit comprising the anode and thecathode, the sec tion being taken'perpendicularly to the generating lines of the anode l,which is in the shape of a greatly flattened cylinder. The cathode 2 is plane, and includes a heating element 3, formed for example of helical resistance wires.

As in ordinary magnetrons, the positive .pole of a high tension source is connected to the anode I, and the negative pole to the cathode 2. On the other hand a-permanent magnet or an.

electromagnet maintains a magnetic field, the lines of force of which are perpendicular to the plane of the figure. These appliances, being of a standard type, are not illustrated.

In this first arrangement the whole of the cathode emits primary electrons, owing to the rise of temperature. Now it'is known that under the infiuence "of the magnetic field the electrons describe curved trajectories, and may return to the cathode. If they strike the latter at a suitable angle they effect the detachment of secondary electrons, which in their turn participate in the operation of the magnetron. The

number of secondary electrons may moreover become considerable, and may considerably ex ceed the number of primary electrons.

The heating may therefore be limited to certain parts of the cathode, which are to furnish the primary electrons, the remainder intervening merely in order to serve as a target and produce the secondary emission. Moreover after the operation has proceeded for a certain length of time. the bombardment produced by the electrons'returning, to the cathode is suiiicient to maintain an appropriate. electronic emission,- and the heating may then be entirely discontinued.

-Fig.-. .2 shows a cross-section through a unit comprising-an anode and a cathode according; to the: inventiongwhereni the principles that have just been set forth are applied. The, plates 2, which may be formed of two. elements; applied Ito-cone another, constitute the greater part of the cathode; They. may for; example: be 'ma.de-- of an alloy of copper and beryllium..0r may be formed of a suitable metallic support covered with. oxides of barium. The electrodes 3, which alternate with the plates 2, each comprise a heat ing: element, which enables their temperature; to be raised, at. least at: the commencement oioperation, in such a way as to produce the initial primary electrons which. strike thetargets 2.

Figures. 6,. 7. and. 8 representother examples. of

construction, in which. the heated ,elementsz3 and the targets 2. serving for the secondary emission are difierently distributed. In order to: convert the energy of the electrons into electromagnetic; energy. it is possible,gas-: in ordinary magnetrons, to utilize one of th two foilcw-ing: methods:

(1) To provide in the conducting massloi the anode, slits opening into-resonant cavities; or

i2): Toprovide the anode with resonantlines constituted by a series of claws to the two sidesofi the anode alternately.

- 3: represents. diagrammatieal ly the first of these solutions;. the magnetron being seen: in cross-sectiom, as. the preceding views. 7 The .anoderiis formed-era rectangular parallelepiped iof conducting metal. In a large central cavityl3 isdodged the cathode. 2 13118: heating of which, as explained above, may be; either-uniform, or- 10- calized in elements. v

1 .Qver-the periphery. of the largeeentral cavity [3 are distributed-a. certain: number otslits 4:, the greater dimension ofwhich. is perpendicular to 'theplaneof. the --drawing. slit 4 opensinto a; sm all cylindrical cavity 5-,, the height. of..which is, likewise; perpendicular to, the plane. of the drawing, It ,isknoWn-that-under these; conditions the. vortex motionv o f the electrons about. the cathode maintains. oscillations ojvery; high freouencyin the littlecavities- 5.. The cavities 5 may moreover be of forms different from that of cylinders having: acircular base, H Fig. 4 diagrammatically represents:-. ther sec- 4 0nd solution as described in French application 745,322 filed March 16, 1938, now Patent No. 835,305, published December 19, 1938, corresponding to United States Patent 2,147,159, granted February 14, 1939. The magnetron 4 is shown in front view and in profile in the parts a and b respectively of'Eig. 4. anode here .consists oi -"two plates 1- and i.- The' cathode comprises for example a heating element 3 and a target 2, which emits secondary electrons. A series of small claws I4 and M are attached to the plates I and l' respectively, and interengage with. one another as indicated in the drawing. These. claws behave like so many resonant elements, the vibration of which is excited by the motion of the electrons.

Of course it is always assumed that a magnetic field is maintained, the lines of force of which are perpendicular to the plane of Figs. 3 and 4a. 0n the other hand the-anode I is in both cases connected to the positive. pole of a source of continuous or pulsating high-tension voltage, the negative pole of. which is connected to the oathode. It evident that the strength of the magnetic field and the value of the high tension will have tobe appropriataeither to the size of the cavities 5 in themes of Fig. 3, or to the dimensions and to thegeometrical arrangement of the claws M and 14' in the case of- Fig. 4.

The apparatus illustrated in 4. is'particularly advantageous when ultra-short waves are to: be propagated in a guide. All that isv necessary is to'introduce the magnetroninto the interior of an adjustable cavity adapted. to the guide, in order to obtainanemission ofveryhigh frequency waves.

Withtheap aratus of Fig. 3 the withdrawal of power; for utilization efiected, as is usual in the art,,by introducing. into.- .one: of the cavities 5 a small loopof conductingwire.

In the case of Fig. 3, it is easy to obtain the mode of vibration 1r, that .is to say, a distribution of field such that in two. adjacentcavities the oscillatory elongations. Willi. at every instant be equalv in. absolute: value, but of.- opposite signs. In. order to attain this-result, highly conducting connectors or straps are provided, unitin-gfin twos the anode segments such as A1,. A21 etc... which are tobe. at eve-ryinstantat: the same'high frequency. po entials. For" example in Fig. 1 3, is connected to. A3,; A2 to Al.-, an-d: so forth; the odd sesment o th an de segments Ar, Ar. beingso connected-i each totheiother and theeven segments A2 A4 being connectedeachto the other. in. the same'mannerrall around, An. being connected to-A'a and; Ape-1' to An Fig; 5a shows di amma i y i ethod ofconnection, the anode segments being. .representedby their edges.

Itwouldlikewise be possihierio :cnnnect the elel nn m fiz phosite: to: one another; asindicated 1. Imthecase ozfiliigz; the equalization of the potentials should-berestablisehdr between. the lateral sides: oileaclr, plate of the, anode, by means at connections suchaaA-B, A'e=-B='f,,3.11'(i' so. on, distributed. in, sufiinient numbers;

10 is across-sectional" yiewtalien online -1 W 1 --9-.-\E1efermce: character 1' desigmates. a b oc anode andreference character I shows slots arranged-in its; mass and terminating r on tors 5;,these: .slots separating the anode ma p l t anodic segments. or elements; Reerence character 2- designates? a: cathode pr s n met -coolan remittme suriacesheated byqa. pirallymound: heater 3elocatediinside= the cathode and connected on its one end to the cathode. The anode forms a tight envelope closed by laterally mounted covers 6-6. Ila-L2 designate terminals leading in the heating current. L3 is the terminal to connect the pole of the supply to the anode, the pole being connected to the cathode, and L4 designates the terminal leading out the tube oscillating power,

to theappropriate output circuit. The magnetic system is designated by MM. The magnetic system produces a flux parallel to the tube axis.

Fig. 10 represents a section transverse to the aforesaid axis, whereas Fig. 9 represents a section containing this axis.

Fig. 11 shows the tight envelope C through which the leads extend to two anode jaws, and to the heater to which the cathode is connected inside of the tube.

Finally it may be pointed out that the main advantages of magnetrons constructed according to this invention, as compared with existing devices, are the following:

(1) The surface area for the dissiptation of heat from the anode is increased without increasing the interval between the anode and the cathode, thereby rendering it possible, with electrodes of large dimensions, to obtain at the same time large powers of very high frequencies;

(2) It is easy to construct the cathode of a plurality of parts, certain parts furnishing the primary electrons for starting, and the other parts being merely for the emission of secondary electrons;

(3) By increasing the surface area of the cathode, the current density delivered by it remains small for a large total current, which is particularly valuable in the case of magnetrons operating by impulsions, with high instantaneous current strengths.

We claim:

1. A magnetron comprising a single fiat cathode having two opposite flat electron emitting surfaces, a single anode symmetrically surrounding said cathode and presenting two coplanar surfaces parallel and opposite to said emitting surfaces and closed laterally forming a continuous interaction space between said anode and cathode, the said anode including a plurality of resonant cavities, the said cavities opening into the interaction space by apertures regularly provided in the said two coplanar surfaces of said anode, opposite to the said emitting surfaces and a magnetic system located adjacent said interaction space to produce magnetic flux crossing the said interaction space between said anode and cathode surfaces parallel to the axis of said anode and cathode.

2. A magnetron comprising a single fiat cathode having two opposite flat emitting surfaces, a single anode symmetrically surrounding said cathode and presenting two coplanar surfaces parallel and opposite to said emitting surfaces and. terminating laterally in a cylindrical surface forming a continuous closed anode-cathode interaction space, the said anode including a plurality of resonant cavities, the said cavities opening into the interaction space by apertures regularly provided in the said two coplanar surfaces of said anode opposite to the said emitting surfaces and magnetic means adjacent said interaction space to produce a flux crossing the said interaction space parallel to the cathode surfaces.

HENRI GUTTON; JEAN LEGROS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,188,410 Linsell Jan. 30, 1940 2,409,038 Hansell Oct. 8, 1946 2,428,612 Blewett Oct. 7, 1947 2,432,466 Burns Dec. 9, 1947 2,477,122 Garner July 26, 1949 

